A recent court judgment against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been denounced by party chieftain Sani Umar as politically motivated and biased. Umar, a former media adviser to ex‑Vice President Namadi Sambo, made the remarks in an interview with Arise TV after Justice Omotosho ordered the PDP to give a 21‑day notice before holding its national convention. According to Umar, the ruling misrepresented the facts, granted reliefs that the plaintiffs never sought, and displayed judicial bias, particularly in cases involving Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, who has been accused of fomenting crises within the PDP. The party intends to petition the National Judicial Council over the matter.
Umar argued that the judge ignored key issues raised by the PDP, notably the question of jurisdiction. The party had asked the court to rule on whether the dispute was an internal party affair, but the judge failed to address this point. This omission, Umar contended, underscores the judgment’s lack of fairness.
The PDP is currently embroiled in a suspension crisis, with four members claiming to have suspended National Chairman Ambassador Iliya Damagum. Umar maintained that these members lacked the authority to do so because they did not constitute a quorum of the National Working Committee (NWC). He described the announced suspension as a ploy to deceive the public. In contrast, Umar affirmed that the NWC, chaired by Damagum, has acted in accordance with the PDP Constitution—specifically sections 58 and 59, which empower the committee to suspend any member found guilty of misconduct.
Despite the setback, Umar insisted that the PDP will appeal the judgment and seek a stay of execution to allow the party to reorganize and proceed with its convention. The appeal process is now underway, and the party’s next steps will be closely watched as it navigates the court’s decision and ongoing internal conflicts.
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